First, oak is hardwood while pine belongs to soft wood varieties. This means that oak is heavier and is more wear resistant. On the other hand, pine is moderately heavy and significantly lighter than oak. That is why oak furniture usually has darker hues and color schemes.

On the Janka hardness scale — a scale that ranks wood for hardness, hickory is the hardest of all domestic hardwoods, ranking at 1,820. Hard maple ranks 1,450, while red oak ranks 1,290. Poplar ranks 540 on the low end of the scale.

Summary

Fir

Price. Pine furniture is often much cheaper than oak versions of the same pieces. The fast growth of pine trees is the main reason for this price difference. Pine trees take less care and have a shorter time to market, which enables growers to sell the wood at a lower price.

Properly sealing and coating pine structures can protect them for years to come. Any kind of structure made of pine, including furniture, enclosures, boxes or storage areas, need to be waterproofed so that the wood will not be damaged in case of rains or flooding.

Properties of Pine

Excessive moisture in pine creates problems. It causes warps, cracks, splits and twists. It can cause glue bonds to fail. Wet pine won’t accept a finish.

Pine is an inexpensive, lightweight wood that can be yellowish or whitish with brown knots. It’s often used for rustic pieces, like farmhouse-style tables. Pros: Pine wood is low-cost, and it takes paint well, so it’s great for kids’ furniture. (The same holds true for birch and poplar.)

Termites like soft, damp wood. Subterranean termites will happily feed on any of the common woods used for structural lumber in homes. It doesn’t matter if it is softwood or hardwood, pine, or oak. The heartwood of these trees has shown some resistant to termites: cypress, cedar, redwood, and teak.

Solid wood is significantly stronger than plywood, especially in terms of stiffness. A shelf made from solid wood will sag less than one made from plywood of the same dimensions. Plywood does not do this. However, plywood layers may separate in a damp environment.

Pine trees are also native to the UK. The faster growth rate means that pine is often a cheaper option than oak as it’s easier to grow new trees quickly. …

Best woods for furniture

• Maple Wood Furniture. Maple may be the ideal furniture wood.
• Oak Wood Furniture. Oak is a very durable wood that is typically used for flooring and kitchen furniture.
• Cherry Wood Furniture.
• Pine Wood Furniture.
• Cedar Wood Furniture.

The quality of pine furniture can vary widely. Although pine is softer and more pliable than most hardwoods, many pieces will still last for decades if they are well constructed. Although pine is a sturdy wood, it can easily be dented and scratched.

Oak wood is expensive because it is a hardwood. Hardwoods are more dense and durable but grow much slower than softwood which makes them more expensive. Although on a grand scale of all existing woods, oak is on the more expensive side because it is classified as a hardwood, oak is one of the cheapest hardwoods.

Large diameter White Oak trees have become an increasingly rare wood as most quality timber was harvested over a century ago. Of all the oaks, it is the most sought after and valuable because of its strength and appearance.

White oak is still the best all-around hardwood and remains in reasonably good supply. It is a valuable, rather expensive wood, but is usually less expensive than cherry and walnut. White oak makes up into the most desirable and durable hardwood flooring.

As I’m sure most people know, oak wood is rather expensive. However, it is also the second most popular material to make furniture from, the first being Pine wood. Many people just write Oak wood off as a needlessly expensive material to use.

durable, long-lasting wood. attractive wood grain. less likely to warp when exposed to sunlight….Disadvantages:

• high tannin content and exposure to wet and cold weather can react with oil finishes.
• very heavy wood.
• thin oak veneers can be difficult to protect as finishes can react with adhesive used in the veneering process.

White oak is worth the effort. It’s a valuable species for wildlife, the quality of the lumber, and in the cooperage industry to make barrels for high-quality spirits or wine. Wildlife also benefits: Many animals prefer the tree’s sweeter acorn over that of the red oak, and several bird species feed on its leaf buds.

The cheapest is probably going to be pine. This is also very easy to work with, but if you are looking for some sort of hardwood, maple is usually what butcher blocks are made of and is usually relatively cheap depending on where you live.

Australian Buloke

Following the path of ivory, in 2003, mahogany was listed on the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) as a species in need of strict regulation to prevent its extinction. Because Peruvian mahogany is traded in violation of CITES, it is illegal to trade or possess it under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

This wood is from Central or South America and may be named Mahogany, Honduras Mahogany, South American Mahogany, American Mahogany or Genuine Mahogany. South American Mahogany will continue to be available but supplies will be limited and prices will be much more than they were just a few years ago.

For one, mahogany is an expensive wood. As mahogany only grows in tropical environs, the cost of the wood escalates over the cost of domestic woods given the additive expenses of shipping and importing.

Why Mahogany Is Expensive Mahogany is sometimes sold by the board foot, and prices can average $6 to $28 or more per piece. This is about 10 times more than comparable furniture-grade woods.